Firefighters and Portsmouth university students take part in earthquake drill

HUNDREDS of people were involved in an earthquake exercise by the fire service and university.
The earthquake exercise held by the University of Portsmouth and Hampshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThe earthquake exercise held by the University of Portsmouth and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service
The earthquake exercise held by the University of Portsmouth and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

Students, who are studying for their masters degrees in crisis disaster management at the University of Portsmouth, also had to deal with bomb scares, kidnappings and civil war in the 42-hour training drill.

The earthquake exercise took place at Fort Widley, in Portsmouth, with the students having to co-ordinate relief efforts with the World Health Organisation and Unicef.

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Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Phil Crook said: ‘These exercises are invaluable as they give us the chance to practise with groups that rarely get to meet. It is also useful for the students to see what this situation is really like.’

The exercise also included London Fire Brigade, Search and Rescue Assistance in Disasters and the Hazardous Area Response Team.